£2m Lottery money to empower Scotland's communities

23 Sep 2016 03:23 PM

The Big Lottery Fund Scotland recently (September 23) announced the latest five grants made under its five year £250 million funding scheme, designed to support people and communities to overcome challenging circumstances.

Interest Link Borders receives an award of £262,877 to continue their befriending project for over 170 adults with learning disabilities.

Andrew Findlay, Project Co-ordinator, Interest Link Borders, said: “This award will enable us to create and maintain one to one and group friendships for adults with learning disabilities in the Scottish Borders, helping to greatly reduce social isolation and improve their quality of life and wellbeing. This project will also provide high quality respite for their family carers and the five year term also gives us longer term security than any of our previous projects have ever had.”

In Glasgow, Govanhill Community Development Trust will use their £478,565 award to provide a range of support and activities to families from the Roma and Slovakian communities who live in the south of the city.

Lyn Ewing, Chair, Govanhill Community Development Trust, said: “This award is enormously welcome and will be a huge boost for Govanhill. The funding secured will improve English and literacy skills across the whole community as well as helping local people to volunteer and get more involved in community life.

“We are also delighted that it secures the Trust’s Roma family support work, enabling us to tackle the deep poverty and improve the lives and employment opportunities of many within the local Romanian and Slovakian community.”

Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, said: “This funding aims to support communities across Scotland to improve the places they live and the wellbeing of people facing challenging circumstances.

“In the Scottish Borders and Glasgow, these two fantastic projects will contribute to positive change by giving people who feel isolated the opportunity to make new friendships and create new community connections. We will continue to work with communities and organisations to support activity which is people centred, strength based and has good local connections.”

Other projects that received funding recently were:-

Dunoon Burgh Hall Trust – Argyll and Bute

£656,825

The project will complete the renovation and refurbishment of Dunoon Burgh Halls and deliver a range of services for the community of Dunoon and the Cowal Peninsula. The building will host flexible space for community use, promotion of the arts, opportunities for training and skills development, events, a licensed cafe and a programme of events designed to bring the community together.

The Star Project – Renfrewshire

£299,000

The project will support families experiencing challenging life circumstances, who live in the North area of Paisley (covering Shortwoods, Gockston and along the Cart corridor.)

Befrienders Highland

£377,665

The project will deliver one-to-one supported volunteer befriending across the Highland and Argyll and Bute local authority areas. The proposal will support people who have become isolated and lonely as a result of living with mental health problems.

The Big Lottery Fund supports the aspirations of people who want to make life better for their communities across the UK. We are responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery and invest over £650 million a year in projects big and small in health, education, environment and charitable purposes.

The Big Lottery Fund Scotland is focussed on helping people and communities most in need throughout Scotland through its five-year £250m funding scheme as well as small grants schemes Awards for All and Investing in Ideas.

Since March 2007 Big Lottery Fund Scotland has taken devolved decisions on Lottery spending, the Committee, led by Chair, Maureen McGinn plays a strategic role in the future direction of the Fund in Scotland.

Since June 2004 we have awarded over £8 billion to projects across the UK that change the lives of millions of people. Every year we fund 13,000 small local projects tackling big social problems like poor mental health and homelessness.

Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £35 billion has been raised and more than 490,000 grants awarded.